Automatic gas apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

(No Model.) I

B. O. VANDUZEN.

AUTOMATIU GAs APPARATUS.

No; 256,934. Patented Apr. 25, 1882.

Fig.1.

Inventor 2 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. B. 0. VANDUZEN.

AUTOMATIC GAS APPARATUS. No. 256,934. Patented Apr. 25, 1882 Fig.7.

Witns ses Inventor: M I VEh/ c'Lw w M W m N. PETERS. Plwha-Lillwgnphor, Washinglm n. I.

t UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

BENJAMIN o. VANDUZEN, on oinoinnarr, onto.

AUTOMATIC GAS APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 256,934, dated April 25, 1882.

' Application filed July 9, 1850. (Noniodth) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. BENJAMIN G. VANDU- ZEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Gas Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise,and exactdescription thereoi',suiiicient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein-- Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe apparatus. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of thesaine. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the line x w, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section in the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detached sectional view of the governor-valves. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the float; and of the valve for regulating the supply of gasoline to the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the valvet-i ipping lnGOlltllllSlllfOI regulating the supply of air and vapor to the gasometer, taken in the line 2 2, Fig. 8; and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the same mechanism.

Similar letters of reference in the drawings indicate the same parts.

My invention is designed to provide for generaluse an improved apparatus for generating hydrocarbonvapors and oxygenizing the same for illuminating and heating purposes; and to this end it consists, in general terms, in a generator for vaporizing the hydrocarbon oil by heat and under pressure, combined with a gasometer into which the hot; vapor is discharged and thereiiroxygenated by the introduction of atmosphericair, the gas thus formed beiugserved under pressure to the burners, and the whole apparatus being automatic in its action. v

It also consists in regulating the pressure of the vapor in the generator auton'iatically by means of a governor, whereby when the required pressure is reached the governor shall automatically cut off the supply of vapor to the generator-tank, and when it falls below the predetermined pressure the governor shall automatically open theconduit tor refilling the generator-tank, thereby keeping up the supply of vapor as fast as it is discharged from the generator into the gasometer, and at the'saine time preventing explosions and other injuries tank and dry it out before being discharged into the generator-tank. y

It also consists in employing the gasolinetank for the double purpose ot'areservoir for supplying the oil to the vaporizing-tubes and a receiver for the hot vapor discharged from the tubes.

It also consists in the combination of an injector with the gasometer and generator for automatically injecting the oxygenized vapor into the generator,

It also consists of the combination of a mix; ing-chamber with the injector, wherein the vapor and air are (ommingled in their passage to the gasometer. g

It also consists in an automatic valve-setting mechanism, operated by the gasometer, combined with the injector.

It also consists in heating the water-boiler by gas supplied from the gasometer, and in regulating the heat in proportion to the pressure of the vapor in the gasometer and generator.

It also consists in the means for supplying hydrocarbon oil safely to the gasoline-tank.

It also consists in combination of parts and details of construction as will be hereinafter described.

I am aware that in othergas-machinesthere is found the combination of awater-boiler and connectiops, water-jacket, and generator of vapor, a gasometer, and burner forheating the Waterin the boiler, and I do not claim this as of my invention. \Vhat I claim as new and of my invention is the boiler and its pipe-connections with the other parts of my machine. In formerpatents and in all gas-machines with which I am acquainted there is a pipe leading outofandareturn-pipeleadinginto theboiler that is, there is a system more or less complicated and expensive for establishing a circulation of the water. This is not found in presout application. There isin this application but one pipe, and the water is forced out to heat the generating-pipes by pressure of steam in boiler, and flowsback by loweiingotpressare of the steam, as the heat from the burner is greater or less; and it is this simple and inexpensive mode of conveying heat to the generating-pipes that distinguishes myinvention as to boiler and boiler-connections with the other parts of the machine from other gasmachines.

In the accompanying drawings, Arepresents a cylindrical metal tank, preferably copper,

for holdingthe gasoline or hydrocarbon liquid to be vaporized. It is suspended within an annular metal tank, B, in such a manner as to leave anopen annular air-space, 0, between them, and the two tanks are supported above the floor by an inclosing jacket, 1), having a door in one side, through which access maybe had to the under side of the tanks. The tank '13 forms an open vessel for containing hot water, by which the gasoline is vaporized within a cluster, E, of two or more pipes passing vertically through the water-space, the number of pipes being determined by the quantity "of gasoline to be vaporized. The upper ends of the cluster are joined to a single pipe, F, through which the vapor is discharged into the tank Aabove the gasoline, and their lower ends are joined to a double bent pipe, G, at the bottom of the tank, through which the gasolineis fed to the cluster or branch pipes, the liquid in the bends of the'pipe forming seals to prevent. the passage of vapor back into the tank.

The annular space 0 allows the circulation of air between the two tanks to prevent the gasoline in tank A from being vaporized by heat from the hot-water tank,and at the same time keep it sufficiently warm to prevent the condensation of the vapor let into the top of the tank above the gasoline.

H is ashort water-leg projecting downward from the water-tank, to surround thelower ends the surface of the gasoline and rise and fall therewith without binding against the tank. The main-object of the float is to prevent the condensation of the vapor above it by contact with thegasoline beneath it, and also to form a head for the vapor under pressure.

N is the valve in the pipe F for regulating the supply and pressure of the hydrocarbon vapor-in the tank A. The valve-shell O is-interposed in this pipe, and its upper side communicates with a chamber formed by two elastic metal disks, P P, joined together at their outer edges with an air-tightjoint. The lower disk around the center is attached to the top of the shell, and the upper disk is fastened to the valve-stem, which passes downward through the shell to seat the valve upward against the underside thereof within that part of pipe F next the water-tank. Then the chamber is not expanded by the pressure of vapor within it the valve is held by the upper disk away from its seat to open the passage between the branch pipes and the tank A; but when the pressure of the vapor reaches a predetermined point the two disks are forced apart to seat the valve and cut off said passage. The pressure required for this purpose depends upon the distance of the valve below the seat, which thus governs the distance the disks shall move apart. This is regulated by lengthening or shortening the valve-stem, which is threaded and works through a nut, Q, fastened to the top of the upper disk. A jam-nut, R, on the stem locks it against rotation after the adjustment is effected. By this means the valve can be set to shut off the vapor from the tank A at any desired pressure, and. thus prevent explosions and other injuries due to excessive pressure.

The parts thus far described constitute the generator of the apparatus, and its operation is as follows: The tank A is filled with gasoline to the required height and a cock in the bent pipe Gr opened to let the liquid'fiow into and rise withinthe cluster or branch pipes. Hot water is then poured into the tank B until both it and the boiler are filled, the heat of the water being maintained or increased by the gas-flame under the boiler. When the boiler is first filled the air within it gradually escapes through pipe I into the water-tank, and its place is supplied by the water, and the steam generated in the boiler forces its way out along the top of the pipe above the water toward the water-leg H and is condensed before reaching such leg. This creates a circulation of the water in the pipe until the heat is too great to condense the steam, which then passes through the leg and is condensed in the tank, causing the water to circulate therein. Therefore, when the generator is fully in action the greatest heat from the water is directed against the branch pipes in the water-leg H to generate the vapor at the lowest point in said pipes, so that in its passage upward through them the heaviest particles shall fall back to be reheated and more thoroughly vaporized, and the vapor be discharged hot and dry through the regulator-valve into the generator-tank A. When sufficient vapor has accumulated in the tank to raise the press urc to the predetermined point the disks of the regulatorvalve will be forced apart and the valve drawn up to its-seat to cut off the supply. The vaporization coutinuing after the valve closes increases the pressure in the branch pipes and forces the vapor to enter the bent pipe G at a point bethe vapor.

low theend of the water-leg H, at which point such pipe is exposed to the outer atmosphere, and is thereby cooled sufliciently' to condense Therefore, as soon as the condensation takes place the further increase-of pressure is prevented and the vapor kept at a uniform pressure in the branch pipes. It is evident that as soon as the pressure is relieved by discharging the vapor from the tank A the valve will again open for refilling the tank, and that this operation will be continued automatically as long as the heat is kept up.

Sis the gasometer supported from and above the generator-tank A, with a space between them. It is composed of an open-bottomed cylinder, T, inverted into an annular waters ace in a tank, U, as shown in Fig. 2. The gasometer communicates with the tank A through a pipe, V, provided with a stop-cock, and in addition to its function as a gas-holder it contains a chamber in which the heated gasoline vapor is oxygenized by atmospheric air before being discharged into the holder.

W is asmall square rod rising from the center of the tank U, and X is a sleeve attached to the top of the inverted cylinderT to fit and slide upon the rod. The pipe V rises some distance within the tank U and terminates in a small chamber, Y, above a vertical valve, Z, which seats itself downward upon the bottom of the chamber and extends into a shell, A, on the-under side thereof. When the valve is seated its lower end rests upon the flattened side of a cam, B, in the shell, the shaft of which cam projects through one end of the shell and carries a notched disk,C, at its outer end and a loose angular lever, D, between the disk and shell.

The lever is composed of a long upright weighted arm, E, a short lateral arm, F, provided with a side pin to entera long open link, G,hung at its upper end to the sleeve X, and of a short arm, H, extending below the shaft in line with the long arm. This short arm has a lateral pin, 1, to move within the notch of the disk when the weighted arm is thrown from one side to the other for the purpose of turning the disk, and through it to oscillate the cam for opening and closing the valve Z. The weightedarm is thrown to trip the valve by the movements of the gasotneter, as I will presently describe.

J is the mixing-chamber attached to the end of the shell A, with which it communicates through a narrow slit, 7c. Two pipes enter it at different points, one pipe, L, passing through the side of gasomcter-tank U for the admission of atmospheric air, and the other,.M, curving downward toward the bottom of the tank for discharging the oxygenized vapor into the gasometer. The outer end of the air-supply pipe L is enlarged to form a valvechatnber, having a central opening in its lower side surrounded by a tube, N, projecting upward within the chamber. This tube forms an airinduction port and also a seat for an inverted cup-shaped valve, O,whose stem extendsdownward through the tube and is guided therein by any suitable means. 'A set-screw, P, in the top of the valve-chamber over the valve adjusts the distance to which the latter shall rise, and hence regulates the quantity of air to be supplied to the mixing-chamber. The inverted valve prevents the escape of vapor from the generator and directs the liquid of condensation back into the pipe instead of permittingit to flow to the outside. When the stop-cock in the pipe V is open to discharge the hot hydrocarbon vapor into the mixing-chamber,and thence into the gasometer, and the inverted cylinder ofthe latter is down toits lowest point, the angular lever, link,and cam and their connections occupy theposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, and, the valveZ is open. The vapor then rushes past the valve, through the shell A, and into the mixing-chamber through the slit k in the wall of the chamber, and thence through bent pipe 11 into the gasometer; but before it leaves the mixing chamber it is mixed with a large volume of atmospheric air and thoroughly .oxygenized in the following manner: The end of the pipe L projects into the chamber to a point near to and in line with the fine slit k, and th'ehot gasoline vapor, being under pressure, is compelled to pass through this line slit, by which its velocity is so greatly increased as to induce a partial vacuum in pipe L, sufiicient to lift the valve 0 from its seat and cause the air to rush into the chamber, where it mixes with the stream of gas, and both together are driven through pipe M into the gasometer until the latter is completely filled, whenthe valve 0 closes. Thus an injector is formed by which the vapor is supplied with oxygen for illuminating purposes. The gasometer cylinder rises slowly in filling, being guided by the squared rod W and sleeve X, and the lower end of the link G, comingin contact with the pin on the short lever arm F, raises the weighted arm E perpendicularlyover the camshaftjust before thegasometer-cylinderreaches the limit of its upward movement. At the instant this limitis reached, however, thelink, still lifting on the arm F, causes the weighted arm to overbalance and drop quickly to the opposite side of the cam -shaft, as shown by full lines in Fig. 7, when the pinin the short lever-arm H strikes one side of the notch in the disk, causing the latter to rotate the cam with its flat side uppermost, so that the valve shall drop down quickly to its seat and shut oft theinfiowing vapor and air. The valve remains closed until the gasometer is exhausted by supplying the gas to the burners and again descends, in which movement the upper end of link G sets the weighted lever arm to be tripped when the cylinder reaches the limit of its descent, and again opens the valve for refilling the gasometer. Thus the filling and exhaustin g ot'the gasometer are automatic so long as the vapor is supplied from the vapor-andgasolinc tank, which in its turn is automatic in its operation, as hereiubefore described.

When the'gasometer is being filled the pressure in the tank A is relieved and the regulator-valve opens to admita fresh supply of vapor; but when'the generator is full the valve -Z shuts oft the supply from the generator and allows the latter to be recharged until the regulator-valve again cuts off the supply.

It is necessary thatlthe valve Z be opened quickly. Otherwise when the gasometer is filling the pressure of the vapor will decrease, and so fail to operate the injector for supplying the requiredamount of air, and that it be closed quickly when the generator is full to prevent back-pressure'through the supply-pipes.

The gas generated and oxygenated under pressure, as above described, is served under pressure to the burners through suitable pipes communicating with the gasometer at any con venient point.

Gas from the gasometcris supplied to the gas-jet under the water-boiler of the generator through a pipefl, communicating with a chamher, Q, attached to the under side of the gas- 'ometer-tank over the vapor-supply regulator.

This chamber communicates with the gasometer-tank through a short stand-pipe,'R, therein, and contains a valve, S, which seats itself upward against the gasometer, and hasits stem extending downward through the bottom of the chamber to connect in any suitable manner with the stem of the regulator-valve, so that both "alves shall move together. By this provision, when the regulator-valve. is open to admit the largest volume of vapor to the generator-tank A the valve S is alsoopen to supply the largest quantity of gas'to the burner under the water-boiler, and when the regulator-valve shuts off the supply of vapor to the tank A the valve S also shuts oh the supply of gas to the burner. Thus the heatunderthe boiler is regulated in proportion to the varying pressure of the vapor in the generator. The valve S does not fit snugly upon its seat, but leaves a small opening between them, through which just enough gas escapes to support the flame and keep it from being extinguished under the boiler.

The stand-pipe It prevents the liquid of condensation in the gasolnetcr from flowing into the pipe P, and thence to the heating-flame;

- but such liquid is drawn on" by a pipe, T, projectin g from the bottom of the gasometer, into the hot-water tank below and having itslower end closed, where it is again vaporized by the heat from the water and the vapor ascends into the gasometer. U is a closed reservoir interposed in a bend of the pipe Gr, below the water-leg, to receive any residuum from the gasoline, and provided If with a suitable draw-oft cock on one side. desired, the pipe G may be disconnected from the reservoir U and extended to and over the gas-fiameunder thehot-waterboiler,and thence returned to unite with the pipe between the water-leg and tank U, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. By this means the heavier oil can be more-thoroughly vaporized and the quanpipe W from the tank with a pump,

tity of'residuuni deposited in the tank U materiall y reduced.

For the purpose of filling the tank A with gasoline without the danger of explosion from the contact of the heating or lighting flame with escaping vapor, I connect the oil-supply X, inserted in a gasoline barrel or tank removed to any desired point from the gas-machine. The pump-rod fits snugly through the head of the barrel and extends nearly to the bottom thereot', and its plunger is operated'from the outside, as shown in Fig. 2. The oil-supply pipe enters the top of the tank, and then bends downward to receive a valve, Y, whose stem lies over the end of a lever, Z, which is pivoted in the tank and extends within the path of the float. When the gasoline falls in, the tank the arm of the lever, being heavier than the valve, lifts thelatter from its seat and opens the oil-supply pipe. If the oil is beingpumped into the gasoline-tank, the float, when the proper quantity is supplied, raises the end of the lever and seats the valve to cut off the supply. The further operation of the pump then tends to press the oil upon the valve to hold it more firmly to its seat, and this increased pressure indicates to the operator at .the pump that the gasoline-pump is charged.

Thus the opening and closing of the valve is automatic and avoids the use of glass gages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an automatic'gas apparatus, a gasoline-tank, in combination with generatingpipes connected with the tank at the top and bottom, in which the gasoline is vaporized by heat, whereby the gasoline is fed from the bottom of the tank to be vaporized in the pipes and the hot vapor from the pipes discharged in the tank above the gasoline, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic gas apparatus, a gasoline-tank, in combination with generatingpipes connected with the tank at the top and bottom and containing a float, so that when gasoline is introduced into the tank and heat applied to the pipes the compartment under the float shall supply the gasoline to the pipes, to be therein vaporized, and the pipes shall conduct the vapor into the tank above the float, substantially as described.

3. The generating-pipes, combined with the double bent supply-pipe at the bottom of the gasoline-tank and a single pipe at the top of the tank, substantially as described.

4. The hot-water boiler and its connections with the hot-water tank, arranged to direct the greatest heat from the water against the lower ends of the generator-pipes for vaporiz= ing the gasoline at the lowest point, substantially as described.

5, The combination of the water-leg and connecting-pipe with the hot-water boiler, the hotwater. tank, and the generating-pipes, substantiall y as described.

IOC

line tank containing the float, the generatingpipes, the inclosing hot-water tank separated from the gasoline-tank by an airspace, and the hot-water boiler connected with the bottom of the water-tank, substantially as described.

7. The float, of a diameter nearly equal to that of the gasoline-tank, and composed of two sheet-metal disks, with atillin g of cork between them, substantially as described.

8. The governor for regulating the flow of the hydrocarbon vapor into the gasoline-tank, in combination with said tank and the generating-pipes, and actuated automatically by the pressure of the vapor in said tank to cut ofi' the vapor at the desired pressure in said tank and to open for continuing the supply when the pressure is reduced, substantially as described.

9. The governor or regulator consisting of two elastic metal disks secured together at their edges, a shell upon which the disks are secured, and the valve-stem attached to the upper disk and extending through the lower disk and shell to seat the valve against the under side of the shell, in combination with the gasholder and vapor-andgasoline tank, substantially as described.

10. The gasometer, combined with the vaporand-gasoline tank and the regulator-valve in the generating-pipes, substantially as described.

11. The combination of the cam, the angular tripping-lever, and notched disk, and long pivoted link, with the vapor-supply valve and inverted cylinder of the gasometer, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with the gasometerand hot-water tank, of the vapor-pipe, whereby the liquid of condensation of the gasometer is vaporized and returned to the gasometer, substantially as described.

13. The valve between the gasometer and pipe for supplying oxygenated vapor to heat the water-boiler, in combination with the regulator or governor valve in the generatingpipes, for the purpose of regulating. the heat under the boiler in proportion to the varying pressure of the vapor in the generators, substantially as described.

14. The combination of the stand-pipe R with the gasometer and the seat for the valve through which vapor is supplied to heat the water-boiler, substantially as described.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of June, A. D. 1880.

BENJ. O. VANDUZEN.

Witnesses:

E. A. ELLSWORTH, N. K. ELLSWORTH. 

